While the skate shoes design afforded better connection and traction with the deck, skaterboarders themselves could often be identified when wearing the shoes, with Tony Hawk once saying, "If you were wearing Vans shoes in 86, you were a skateboarder"[27] Because of its connection with skateboarding, Vans financed the legendary skateboarding documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys and was the first sneaker company to endorse a professional skateboarder Stacy Peralta. Vans has a long history of being a major sponsor of many of skateboarding's competitions and events throughout skateboarding's history as well, including the Vans Warped Tour and the Vans Triple Crown Series.[8][81][82][83][84][85]
Aside from keeping the more fashion-oriented side of skateboarding placated with ultrasoft crewnecks and clean 6 panel caps, Dime keeps the side of skating focused on actual footage and hijinks fed through their Instagram and Snapchat accounts (@dimemtl), where they post their day-to-day in Montreal doing what skateboarders do best: having fun with their friends.
Its All Powell-Peralta Ligament decks feature a wider and more robust polymeric strap. The ligament strap is so powerful that in case your board breaks, the ligament strap will hold your deck together to allow you to ride out of it. Ligament decks are same in weight as a 7-ply maple deck but provide more pop and stiffness that lasts longer than ordinary boards.
Polar’s focus on its European roots and representing a type of skateboarding that everyone could relate to, plus Pontus’ masterful approach to video-making and product, created a groundswell of popularity for the brand which has retained its momentum. Mixing a heavy global team with an eclectic approach to soft goods, Polar is now viewed as one of the most influential brands in the skateboard industry as a whole.
Longboards excel when covering longer distances on roads and bike paths or for “bombing” hills. The wider trucks and wheelbase provide superior stability, and larger wheel options help retain speed for faster commuting. Still, longboards are less responsive than shorter boards and don’t always have kick tails, making them less functional in tight spaces.
However, the Golden Dragon does have pretty soft trucks bushings, which means the board will lean very easily and be more responsive to weight distribution. This is good news for more intermediate skaters who want easy turns, but not necessarily great for those who are still learning and may not be familiar with controlling a board. But for the price, and considering the great durability of all the other components, this is a quality choice.
Using 12 years of experience in manufacturing skateboards, Penny Skateboards was created to offer the skateboarding community high performance and high quality plastic skateboards. The brand focuses on creating each Penny skateboard with attention to detail and with the best raw materials. Not only are they meant to look good, but are meant to work just as good if not better.

One of the skateboarding companies that are at the op is Almost Skateboards, founded by pro skateboarders Daewon Song and Rodney Mullen in 2003 and distributed by Dwindle Distribution. Both had ceased participating in their previous companies, Enjoi and Artafact, respectively. Almost is a brand that concentrates on fun and creativity but on also not taking oneself too seriously. The company produces decks made of 7-ply, 8-ply and carbon fiber constructions, bound with resin epoxy glue. The brand offers completes that include skateboards with the deck, wheels, trucks and bearings, as well as wheels, accessories and apparel. The team consists of Rodney Mullen, Daewon Song, Cooper Wilt, Youness Amrani, Yuri Facchini, Tyson Bowerbank, Fran Molina, and Mitchie Brusco.

Skateboard decks width is probably one of the most important factors to consider when buying a deck. Decks typically range from 7.25-8.5″. 7.5″,7.75″, and 8.0″ tend to be the standard widths if most decks and the general rule is that the bigger your feet are the wider the deck you should get. Thinner decks are slightly easier to flip, however they are harder to land on due to the decreased surface area. This is a tradeoff you have to consider, but the typical rule of thumb for younger guys is that you get wider decks the more advanced and larger you get. Street skaters typically also like smaller decks as they are easier to navigate and carry around in crowded cities and areas.
By raising £790,000, the Long Live Southbank[70] initiative managed in 2017 to curb the destruction of a forty years old spot in London due to urban planning, a salvaging operation whose effect extends beyond skateboarding. The presence of a designated skating area within this public space keeps the space under nearly constant watch and drives homeless people away, increasing the feeling of safety in and near the space.[71] The activity attracts artists such as photographers and film makers, as well as a significant number of tourists, which in turn drives economic activity in the neighborhood.[72]

We want customers to be satisfied with their products. That’s why we have spent countless hours researching and picking the best skateboards available out on the market today. If you are a beginner and need a well-versed opinion on the topic, we sincerely hope that our reviews and FAQ sections will help you decide which skateboard you should adopt as your own!

5BoroAlien WorkshopAll I NeedAlmostAluminatiAlvaAmerican NomadAnti HeroArborATM ClickBaconBakerBarfootBirdhouseBlack LabelBlankBlindBlood WizardBoulevardCharacterCheap Blank DecksChocolateClicheCodeCometConsolidatedCreatureDarkstarDB LongboardsDeathwishDemon SeedDevilleDGKDogtownDoomsayers ClubDusters CaliforniaEarthwingElementEnjoiEverseshExpedition OneF.S.C.Fancy LadFinesseFlipFoundationGirlGlobeGoodGravityGrizzlyHabitatHeavy MetalHeroinHolesomHosoiIllegal CivilizationJartKebbekKrookedLakeLandyachtzLife ExtensionLovesickLurkvilleLushMadridMalibu SurfSkatesMaxallureMeowMini LogoMoonshineMoonshine MFGMysteryOmenPizzaPlan BPocket PistolPoliticPowell PeraltaPreservationPrime HeritagePrimitivePrism SkateRayneRealRelianceRoad RiderSanta CruzSayshunSchmitt StixScumCo & SonsSector 9SeismicSend HelpShake JuntShipyard SkatesShortysShutSirenSk8mafiaSkate MentalSlaveSovrnStereoStreet PlantSuicidal SkatesThe Friend ShipThe Killing FloorTiredToy MachineVagrantVisionWar EffortWorld IndustriesWounded KneeZeroZoo York
Originally referred to as sidewalk surfing, the birth of skateboarding dates back to the early 1940s and the use of wooden boxes with roller skates attached to their bottoms. While the board itself cannot necessarily be attributed to a single inventor of the time and was, instead, a spontaneous invention from multiple sources, the modern style of many of today's skateboards took form during the 1950s when California surfers were looking for a physical activity to keep them busy during times when the waves were flat. The first manufactured skateboards were ordered by a Los Angeles surf shop and were designed to be used by surf enthusiasts during their downtime. At the time, the shop owner set up an arrangement with the Chicago Roller Skate Company to produce sets of skate wheels, which the shop would then attach to square wooden boards.
Element, based out of Irvine, CA, is one of the cool skateboard brands today. They came in first on our list due to their quality boards, sustainable practices and the affordability they offer customers. They’re an environmentally responsible brand who creates their boards without causing any environmental damage. The Element team behind the company is comprised of a group of professional skateboarders who interact with a strong belief in the Element brand. They not only offer great products, but stand for an open minded and active lifestyle and have become one of the best skateboard brands in the world.
Group spirit supposedly influences the members of this community. In presentations of this sort, showcasing of criminal tendencies is absent, and no attempt is made to tie extreme sports to any kind of illegal activity. Female based skateboarding groups also exist, such as Brujas which is based in New York City. Many women use their participation in skate crews to perform an alternative form of femininity.[75] These female skate crews offer a safe haven for women and girls in cities, where they can skate and bond without male expectations or competition.

Krown Rookie complete skateboards are a prime example of a product that is well liked, and of great quality. Just like with the previous Krown product we discussed, the company has given us several colors of the product o choose from. This is a great addition, since it helps riders personalize their rides whichever way they want. It also limits the possibility of running into someone that is sporting the same skateboard at you!

Jump up ^ Williamson, Elizabeth (October 11, 2013). "Skateboarders See a (Kick) Flip Side to the Government Closing: With Washington Plazas Empty and Patrols Down, a Banned Sport Is Suddenly On" (video). The Wall Street Journal, U.S. Edition. Retrieved March 30, 2017. One positive thing about the gov't shutdown – spots at gov't buildings are now skateable – Darren Harper, Pro Skateboarder, via Facebook.
Goldfish and Mouse established Girl’s video aesthetic with numerous movie skits inter-cut with the skating, including the infamous Eric Koston as Charlie Chaplin skit. Pioneering skate photographer and film-maker Spike Jonze (also responsible for Blind Skateboard’s Video Days) as a part-owner of Crailtap has been involved in the making of all of their videos to date and it is his cinematic approach that lends Girl’s video output its uniqueness.
Regardless of the length of these boards, they each have several components in common that include a deck, grip tape, trucks, and wheels. The deck is the actual surface piece of the board on which a rider stands to perform tricks or control their degree of motion. Decks range between seven and ten inches in width and although seven-ply wood is the most common material for them, they can also be crafted out of bamboo, carbon fiber, and even plastic. Decks are shaped in several unique concave designs, which include radial, progressive, W-concave, tub, and asymmetric. Radial concave decks have U-shaped curves and are ideal for beginners, as they provide one's feet with a reliable grip.
Moving on to our favorite pick from the Plan B series, Plan B Skateboard Complete Felipe Victory 7.6″ Tensor Assembled, suitable for all kinds of riders, but is an ideal skateboard for intermediate skateboard riders. The deck is made from 100% North American maple and measures 7,6 inches. Its wheels are 52mm TGM wheels which means it is excellent for both street and park skating. We also love its lightweight trucks and heavy-duty aluminium with grade 8 steel kingpins and axles plus the bushings (USA made) and pivot cups. The bearings are rated 5 on the ABEC scale.
Covering multiple countries all over the world, Skatro is widely received as one of the top mini-cruiser suppliers that are in existence. Starting from a very small office and humble beginnings, Skatro brand was determined to provide excellent care and respect to their clients while maintaining a quality product that is both mechanically sound as well as financially viable.
That’s a lot of wood! But it is by no means the end. In 2016 there were many other brands that have pleased us with wooden works of art. Chocolate were inspired by modern living shown in their Modern Homes series, Welcome beautifully presented decks in original shapes, and the two German brands Inpeddo and Mob showed that seven layers do not necessarily have to come from overseas.
Founded by the original technical street skaters Daewon Song and Rodney Mullen, Almost Skateboards always pushes the envelope with fun, artistic cartoon graphics paired with high quality materials. Almost was one of the first brands to implement carbon fiber layers to their decks in the “Impact” deck line to increase the deck’s life and better maintain its shape.